Ditch The Logical
by AlmostLike-Magic
Summary: "And for her, he wanted to be that hero. From here on out." HG/DM BZ/GW
1. Chapter 1

Her fingers were caked with dirt as she ripped up chunks of the earth. Her robe was billowing backwards and the wind whipped the tears right out of her eyes, but she was focused on her task. The plant finally came out of its little patch of earth and the curly haired girl beamed with pride. The Clair de lune flower was gorgeous to say the least. Its bulb had that half moon crescent which glowed white in the dark projecting a light that was similar to the real thing.

"Finally," Her throat ached from being out in the cold for so long, but it was in some way refreshing from the stuffy, crowded castle. She had been searching for what felt like hours and now that she had what she wanted, she was more than satisfied. Placing the plant in a cloth pouch, she slipped it into her pocket for safe keeping.

"Lumos." Hermione's wand became alit with that beautiful white light. The clouds were blocking the moon making it much darker then it was when she came out here. Her dirt covered hands pulled her hood up as she began her journey back to Hogwarts, the wind finding ways to infiltrate her clothing. Hermione shivered violently, the moist dirt on her fingers instantly drying.

Her shoes squished gently into the grass that had a covering of late night dew; it was the only noise to be heard miles. Strange how such a lively, busy castle was so quiet and calm on the outside. Hermione only wished she could lie out to enjoy it; her days were soon to be limited at Hogwarts.

"Granger, what the bloody hell are you doing out here?" that infamous drawl made Hermione twitch her lips involuntarily in disgust. His voice did not hold it's usual taunt, but she'd be a fool to let her guard down around him. He was too precarious for that. At lightning speed her wand was pressed against his chest and a painful gasp escaped the young Malfoy's lips.

"What do you want Malfoy? Here to taunt me? Scold me for being out past curfew? I'm busy, so I would really appreciate if you would forget you saw me before I hex you into oblivion." Her words were clipped, but they held that indefinite threat to the point where Draco's eyebrows rose slightly.

"Hex me? Really Granger? I'm not here to do any of that." He said while reaching for his own wand. His wand expelled that same white light as hers, and immediately Hermione's features as well as his own, were more defined. Those brown eyes caught him off guard completely; they made his gut sizzle with delight which was followed by confusion at his previous thought.

"Then why are you here?" She asked in a calmer tone. The mask of the night really made her anxious and slightly paranoid. Hermione found herself lost in the comfort that exerted from his eyes. Why was that there though? He seemed relieved to see her here. Shouldn't he be calling her a Mudblood and making fun of her hair, her teeth, and her face? The thought of his cruel words made her stomach clench in anguish and her eyes prickle with the first sign of tears.

"Whoa Granger, what's wrong?" he asked her, completely ignoring her question. Hermione didn't seem to notice though, because she was just backing away rather slowly, her feet squishing softly into the saturated grass. _'Why does he sound so god damned concerned about me? This is a Malfoy trap. _Her heart pounded erratically against her ribcage and pricks of sweat formed on the back of her neck. The atmosphere, Malfoy, and the silence of the night were just too much for the young Gryffindor. She felt irregular being by herself with a sworn enemy and knew that if she didn't get away…well that wasn't a very pleasant thought.

"Malfoy-," she didn't get very far in her sentence because a splash of water hit her nose. Her eyes slowly moved upwards and before she knew it, rain pelted down on her in hard, cold droplets. This caught both her and Draco off guard completely, so they both did the only thing that made sense…run.

"Well this sucks," Draco yelled out as a bolt of lightning lit up the sky.

"Ya' think?" Hermione countered as they neared the castle doors. Her fingers grasped the door handles tightly as she tried to jiggle the door open.

"Are you kidding me?" She all but nearly screeched. Draco didn't say a word until he pointed his wand at the door.

"Alohamora."

Nothing.

"Alohamora," and again nothing happened to the door.

"Alohamora!" he grunted in annoyance but was pushed backwards by Hermione. She scrutinized the door and pressed her wet fingers against the wood trying to feel for something…something that would help.

"There is no way of getting in…even with magic. It's locked for the night," she stated before turning back to Draco. He looked extremely peeved before pointing his wand at the door again.

"Well then…I guess I'll have to obliterate it."

"Draco no!" Hermione slapped his wand away and gave him a stern look. He scoffed at her before picking it up out of a puddle.

"Well what do you expect us to do? Sit out here and freeze until the sun comes up?" He questioned while raising an eyebrow. Hermione stared at the door before turning back to Draco again and shrugging.

"I don't know about you, but I'm going to find some shelter," she stated before pushing her mass of sopping hair out of her face.

"You are NOT leaving me here Granger. I'm coming with you." He began to follow her back out onto the grass. She didn't say a word, because in all honesty who wants to be alone in the rain during a thunderstorm? Hermione pretty much ignored him and walked as quickly as she could to her destination. The small witch was pretty fast for Draco had to almost run to keep up with her.

"So where are we going?" he questioned as a clap of thunder boomed through the vast land. Hermione flinched at the loud sound and huddled under her sopping cloak more.

"S-Shrieking Shack," she stuttered out through blue lips. Her limbs felt weighted down and she had a chill that ached through to her bones. No words were exchanged after that since they were both too tired and way too cold. Soon enough they reached the large tree that was slowly moving around, its huge branches gently touching the ground only to move back up into the sky. Water was falling harshly into Hermione's eyes making it rather difficult to see, so she slowly approached the large tree with Draco in toe.

"And how to you expect to get in?" he asked as the branches started to violently move against the wind in their direction. They both stopped walking just out of reach of the thick, intimidating limbs.

"You don't know? It's simple really," she said before pointing her wand at the tree, just waiting for an opening at the trunk. Draco moved closer to her, examining exactly what she was doing for future references, not because the rain made her smell…delicious. Hermione involuntarily moved back into him, his heat calling to her, but in her mind it was just to move further away from the thrashing branches.

"Immobulus." The tree instantly stilled and Hermione quickly scurried off towards the door, anxious to lay down in a warm, dry place. The first thing Hermione did though was cast a heating charm, her soaking wet clothes dripping puddles onto the wood floor. She soon tossed off her cloak since it wasn't helping. Her white oxford shirt clung to her as well as her red skirt. She turned around when she remembered Draco was also here. They both stood staring at each other, their breathing mingling into the damp air, her hair clung to her cheeks and his eyes couldn't stop staring at her lips. They were slightly blue from the cold, but entrancing none the less. Her teeth chattered violently, but that was barely heard since the rain pounded heavily outside. A stroke of lightning lit up the small room, casting creepy shadows across both of their faces. Draco also removed his cloak tentatively trying to busy himself, and tossed it on the floor. He raised his wand and lit a few candles, his eyes never leaving Hermione's. It was a strange thing, each of them too tired to bother with hate and animosity.

"M-Malfoy I don't want to argue or f-fight with you at all t-tonight. So before w-we get into a quarrel, l-lets just not. I'm freezing, t-tired, and I feel sick." Hermione sat down on the ground, her body shivering so violently. She pressed a hand to her forehead and noticed how she felt hot…burning even.

"Granger I agree with you." Hermione looked up at him surprised not really believing that he'd _agree_ with her on something. He must have seen her confused look because he let out a sigh before walking over to her. She instinctively moved away from him but he gave her a look that made her feel less tense. A cough insisted its way out of her throat and she let her head rest back against the wall.

"Come on…if I was going to hurt you, I would've done it. Just let me heal you, I know how to."

"You know how to get rid of a cold?" she questioned as she adjusted her uncomfortable Gryffindor tie. Draco watched her hands shake as she tried to fix her saturated clothes.

"I've come to know how to heal many things Granger. Just…let me do this. I want to prove to you that I can be and okay guy and not a-a-"

"A Death Eater?" she finished for him before slumping to the side due the tumultuous feeling her stomach was creating. Hermione still felt uneasy about him, even in her weakened state, but the look on his face and the vibes she was getting from him were unmistakable. Her gut screamed 'just trust him!' He rolled his wand over her body and as soon as it came, the burning fever left her body. Her curious eyes strayed towards his face only to see him giving her a small smile.

"I didn't say you could do that," she stated before huddling her wet and aching limbs up into a tighter position.

"Granger look at me. I'm trying nothing but to help you! You and the bloody Order are doing everything to keep me grouped with the Death Eaters. I'm not them! I may bear the mark but that was something I couldn't control. I don't want to be apart of that. Just bloody trust me, because no one else in this godforsaken place does and I've never felt so lost," and with those words, she was caught. She didn't know it then, but that small slice of sympathy was enough of a hook for the young Gryffindor. His stomach was clenching and his breathing was close to hysteric, but not quite there yet. The sincerity of his words shocked the Gryffindor to no end. Hermione just stared at him, her mind moving at a mile a minute. Should she suck in her Gryffindor courage and see what Malfoy can offer the light side? Hermione groaned as the pain in her head decided to develop a throb.

"Fine Malfoy, but if you do anything weird…well let's hope that you don't, for your sake," Hermione mumbled before surrendering her aching body to him. He sent her a cocky grin before pressed the tip of his wand against the center of her collarbone. Immediately after that, a warm, blue glow shot to every part of her body before fading away to leave a tired Hermione lying limply against the wooden wall, her breathing even and her muscles much more relaxed.

"Thank you Malfoy." It was eerie how easily that sentence came to her, and the fact that Draco felt undoubtedly…happy when she said it was far stranger. He didn't say anything after that but just went over to a trunk to pull out a couple of moth eaten blankets. Slowly he unbuttoned his soaked oxford shirt and laid it out to dry. Draco's pale chest was covered in water droplets that rolled down into his black pants. Pink scars were visible along his back and Hermione could only imagine how he acquired those. What was really visible, and I mean _really_ visible was the skull on his forearm that stared at her mockingly. It really did look completely out of place on the young Slytherin.

"W-What are you doing?" Hermione asked as she tried to stand herself up but felt small tremors shoot through her legs, but she was persistent so she walked over and grabbed a blanket. He turned and gave her a confused look.

"Drying off…I can't dry off when I'm sitting in wet clothes." Hermione swallowed hard and let her fingers run over the wool material, trying incredibly hard not to stare at him. A shiver danced through her spine until it reached her toes which she could feel were near ice.

"Granger, I'd advise you to do the same," he stated before tugging on his belt and abandoning it on the ancient desk along with his wand and cloak. A blush crept up into her cheeks and she shook her head distractedly.

"I'd like to keep my clothes on thank you very much." Her voice felt small and weak as she watched him shake his pants off that were clinging to his legs; after that he kicked his shoes and socks off. Quickly she turned away and pulled her blanket over her shoulders and sunk down onto the hardwood floor. Draco rolled his eyes and started to pull out blankets to make a makeshift bed.

"Can I ask you something?" Hermione asked while staring at him as he shifted around furniture. He briefly looked over at her and nodded before continuing to move around blankets.

"What were you doing outside before?" she asked softly. "And you didn't seem too surprised to see me…," she added. He didn't look at her when he spoke. In fact, he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.

"Just walking," his voice was emotionless as he spoke. Hermione tilted her head to the side in thought, feeling her clothes become annoyingly uncomfortable. The wet cotton made her skin itch and an irritated look crossed her face as she unconsciously rubbed her fingers over the material. Malfoy used to this advantage and changed the subject.

"You really should change into something else Granger. You can get yourself re-sick." He stated as a matter of fact while sitting down on the couple of blankets that separated him from the floor. "Come on Granger, stop trying to be modest and just do what is good for you," he added. Slowly she cast a glance his way and felt a blush rise to her cheek before turning her head away from him.

"Fine, but you better turn around," Hermione demanded. Draco raised an eyebrow before sighing and rolling his eyes.

"Whatever Granger." He turned around and Hermione made quick work of her shirt and skirt tossing them haphazardly on the floor. This left her in her socks, bra, and underwear which she knew were going no where. Slowly she slid the itchy blanket around her body and took a seat on one of the old wooden chairs. "Can I turn back around?" he asked.

"Yes," Hermione said resignedly as a shiver ran up her bones and caused her to move closer into the blanket. Draco turned back around and noticed her sock clad feet sticking out from under the blanket.

"Really Granger? Did you even listen to me?" He let out a small humorless laugh before shaking his head at her ability to be overly prude. Hermione on the other hand, was left slightly annoyed at his humor about all of this.

"What? I did listen to you Malfoy!" She stated irritably.

"Oh yea?" he chuckled at her flustered appearance before completely halting all mirth that seemed to escape him. Hermione did something completely out of character and opened up her blanket to reveal her undergarments. All the color drained out of Draco's face leaving him speechless and astonished. He didn't say a word after that since in his mind he was stuttering like an idiot. It was Hermione's turn to smirk before she closed her blanket tightly around herself again. Her skin was so flawless and she was wearing black and green….it was all too appealing. A small groan left his throat before he could recall it.

"Satisfied?" She stated before going over to sit on the ground with her legs pressed tightly up against her chest.

"Barely," was Draco's whispered response which she didn't hear at all. The brunette snuggled herself against the hard floor under the scratchy blanket and felt herself on the verge of sleep…but not quite there. Hermione still felt cold and just…uncomfortable. Her teeth chattered, but she ignored and pressed her face into the covers.

"I think the heating spell is wearing off," Hermione commented before flipping over onto her back.

"You're delusional," was Draco's response.

"Fix it."

"Why can't you?"

"Because I'm to cold to find my wand," was Hermione's response which was slightly muffled by the blanket. This caused Draco to laugh a little, this situation was rather humorous.

"The great Hermione Granger too last to cast a spell?" Draco mocked before letting a smirk grace his face.

"Shut up." Draco just grinned before pulling out his wand and whispering the spell.

Hermione still felt completely uncomfortable. Maybe it was the hard ground, or the itchy blanket, or even the fact that she was almost naked with Malfoy in the room…but she just couldn't lay her mind to rest. Flipping over on her back she huffed and stared at the ceiling of the old, dank room. Malfoy on the other hand couldn't find comfort either with all the shuffling on the other side of the room.

"Jeez Granger can you maybe relax? I can't bloody sleep with you making so much noise," he complained.

"I can't help it, I'm just not comfortable."

"So get comfortable," was his snide remark.

"I just told you…I can't," Hermione stated exasperatedly, her chest tightening in annoyance. The young Malfoy moaned in annoyance before deciding to give the book worm an offer.

"Granger…do you want to come share these blankets with me?" he asked hesitantly. A loud boom caused Hermione to squeal and jump up before running over to Draco. He may be the enemy, but he was warm and sent off a comforting vibe.

"I'll take that as a yes…."

The small girl huddled close to the mass of man that lay next to her. They both shivered as the new heat from each other helped warm one another. Draco never expected to feel such contentment with Hermione Granger in such a close proximity. The two laid there in silence, both on their backs barely touching. This was torture, and Draco Malfoy was seriously at a loss for a clear thought process. Why was his gut tugging at all these different emotions? He had a job to do, and he would do it.

"So what were you really doing out here tonight?" asked the small Gryffindor.

"Running an errand for professor Snape," was his quiet reply. He couldn't really focus on her question because his heart was throbbing in his ribcage. She was affecting him and he was afraid to really dwell on it. Turning over so his back was to her, Draco let out an uneasy breath.

"Night Granger." She didn't press the matter any further and let out a small sigh.

"G'night.."

* * * * * * *

**Well? Good start? Review? All of the above? I think yes…**

**Trying to clear writers block is ridiculously hard.**


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione rolled over unable to return to her deep slumber. Her petite body felt overly warm against the solid form next to her further waking her up. She rotated her body over so she was on her back, stretching her limbs in small, languid movements. Hermione must have forgotten where she was, because when she tilted her face upwards, she caught an eye full of a sleeping Draco Malfoy. Her entire body stiffened which Hermione quickly chalked up to instincts. Slowly, almost expertly, she pulled herself from their make shift bed and crept over to where her clothes lay out to dry. It was evident that her joints were still tight from the previous night, but nothing she couldn't handle.

As to not wake Draco, she made her motions careful and precise. There was no way she'd deal with his arrogance, not at this hour of the day. Hermione found herself wondering why she did half the things she did, but in truth it was something she couldn't allow herself to take part of anymore. It got her into a mess that really wasn't worth it, and she didn't like feeling out of character.

'_Pfft I can't believe this happened.'_ Hermione thought with a sense of bitterness as she buttoned up her white oxford shirt. _'Next time, I don't care how desperate I am for warmth, this won't be an option.'_ She pulled on her skirt and fumbled with her red, Gryffindor tie. _'Malfoy is not a friend. Not to be trusted, and far from siding with the Order.'_ The small brunette pulled on her cloak and silently moved towards the door of the room when something caught her eye. The window where her wand lay precariously on top of a stack of papers shined brightly at her.

"Ah, can't be forgetting you, now can I?" She picked up the familiar piece of wood before turning around. Her eyes were cast downward and pace quick before she walked straight into Draco himself. She knew she was immediately screwed when she felt herself hit into his body. Sure, he seemed sincere last night, but was that _really_ his motive? The back of Hermione's neck prickled with sweat before turning her eyes away guiltily.

"Leaving Granger?" asked Malfoy in almost a bored tone. Hermione idly flipped her wand between her fingers before nodding her head. Why should she feel guilty for leaving? Brown eyes met silver and Hermione could have sworn she saw a touch of distress consuming his face.

"We should be getting back to the castle. Wouldn't want anyone to wonder where we are…" Her fingers gripped the fabric of her cloak tightly before moving around him. He stood there staring out the window at something far into the distance. Something vast and unknown to Hermione who simply didn't care enough to know what he was looking at.

"Not a good idea," was all he said before going over to his clothes. The small witch watched, fascinated, as he slipped on his black pants and belt. Hermione cocked an eyebrow at him, why couldn't they go back to the castle? She had a rather important task she needed to finish up.

"Why?" Draco nodded his head towards the window in a nonchalant matter, as if he knew something was happening and absolutely didn't care. Hermione numbly moved in front of the window, her eyes catching glimpses of figures cloaked in black moving towards the castle. Her eyes widened at the site before her. She reached her hand out to touch the cool glass, her throat becoming constricted with fear. Death Eaters were here…at Hogwarts. That familiar feeling of dread consumed her and she turned around angrily, pinning Draco with an insurmountably heated glare.

"You knew!" Her fists clenched and she ran towards him. "And you didn't warn anyone! What is wrong with you? How can you do this?" She was crying now, silent tears sliding down her cheeks and onto her shirt.

"There was nothing I could do anyway. You know how ruthless they are, even if I am one of them." Hermione's gut clenched, how could she have trusted him last night? There was obviously no way in hell that Draco has changed. He was a monster, an absolute monster.

Draco noticed the change in her eyes, which held that look of pure disgust. She pinned him with that intense glare and couldn't help but feel somewhat bad. He felt what you would call guilt, but to him it was uncharted territory. He was never taught to feel remorse for anything and he tried his hardest to follow that. It made his life a lot easier for all the shocking, appalling things he's not only witnessed, but was apart of.

"Granger-"

"DON'T! You're just a selfish coward and I really don't give a damn about your justification of this." Her knuckles went white as she stared at the horror below her. _How did they even get passed the barriers? Those are unbreakable…even to the most powerful wizard._

Hermione contemplated this through the awkward silence. For Draco, the silence was deafening. He felt…strange and for countless reasons, some he could barely come to terms with himself.

"How did you do it?" She all but whispered before turning around to stare him directly in the eyes. He felt taken aback by the sudden closeness of her face. Her hair smelled like coconut and lime and he couldn't help but take a deep breath of it. It was wonderful.

"Hm?" She pressed. He looked confused to she continued. "How did you get them through the barriers?" Draco turned his head away, averting his eyes from her inquisitive chocolate orbs.

"Vanishing cabinet." Those two syllables caused Hermione's brow to crease in confusion. "I've been mending it, making it useable for transport. Fenrir and others came in through that and took down the barriers from the inside. I'm really not sure how they did that…but I'm betting they had help," he said alluding to someone Hermione couldn't put her finger on. All the anger inside of the small Gryffindor snapped. Her _home_ was under attack and that choking sob that was stuck in her throat finally came loose.

"You're horrible." Draco looked down at her and sighed. "Ingenious, but downright horrible." A tear slid down her cheek and she backed away from him and towards the door, her wand gripped tightly in her hand.

"Where are you going?

"Back inside. I refuse to sit here idly with a traitor while my friends could be getting slaughtered." Draco was in front of her before she could even blink an eye.

"You'll get killed the second you reach the front of the castle. So no, you're not going."

"Don't tell me what to do," she spat as the anger in her veins boiled over. "You of all people have no say in where I go." Hermione wretched her should from his touch. "And DON'T for one second act like you actually care about me." Her stomach felt as though it were on fire. She was having a difficult time not hexing the shit out of Draco and his traitorous ways.

"Who's acting?" He said in a soft voice before returning that cold, hard look to his face. Hermione ignored him before ripping the door open and walking down the staircase. Draco followed closely behind her until she reached the bottom step.

"And another thing," Hermione said in a tired voice, "Don't follow me."

"Like bloody hell am I not going with you. I can help you get back into the castle if you so desire." Hermione thought about this for a second before shaking her head.

"I don't want your help."

"Well too bad Granger, you need it."

"I don't need anything from you." Hermione opened the door and stepped out of the small confines of the willow tree. Draco was getting tired of their banter and gripped her shoulder tightly as he spun her around to look at him. Hermione did not appreciate this and shoved him backwards against the door. He hit wood with a force that caused his head to snap back. He glared menacingly at the witch. The tension that sizzled around them like firecrackers was unmistakable.

"Be rational, I can get you in there unharmed and you know that." He moved forward which made her look at him due to the sudden closeness. "Just let me do this one thing." Draco didn't say anything after his last statement; he backed away from her, allowing Hermione the space she craved before. Hermione let out a defeated sigh. If saving her friends more efficiently meant sucking up her pride, then she would do it.

"Fine Malfoy." She didn't turn to look at him as she walked ahead, knowing he would follow anyway.

With as much stealth as they could manage, the two slinked towards the castle. Dark, unnatural clouds were scattered around the castle creating an eerie ambiance that spread chills up both teenagers' spines. The Dark Mark stood proudly amidst the obsidian clouds marring the once beautiful sky. Since Draco had more skill at this than Hermione, he took the lead having her follow every move he made. She had to admit though, he did know how to get them farther than she would've gotten if she were on her own. Before she knew it, they were backed up against the rough, grey bricks of Hogwarts.

"When I say go, run to the other side of the door and stay hidden under the stairs." His breath was warm against her neck and she could feel sweat form in the creases of her hands. Her heart pounded erratically up against her ribcage and she wasn't sure if it was because of the anticipation of getting caught, or the closeness of Draco's lips to her skin.

"Then what?" Was her whispered response.

"Wait for me." Hermione let out a breath of air and let her head rest against the wall as she watched a few Death Eaters stand guard in front of the door. They both waited for the opportune time, but Hermione's patience was wearing thin. Her mind kept creating horrible scenarios as to what was happening to Ron, Harry, and Ginny. She began to feel sick, nausea creeping into her and wrapping around her stomach like a cobra.

"Oh god." Hermione turned around to face Draco, all color in her face gone.

"Are you okay?" He asked, unsure of what to do. Her eyes fluttered, trying desperately to hold onto reality. Everything was starting to settle in and she gripped onto Draco's collar to help keep her self grounded.

"I don't know what's wrong with me…" Her voice sounded far off and he could tell she was on the verge of a serious breakdown.

"Granger please stop, your friends need you. Take control of this-this shock you're in." Draco was terrible at encouraging someone since he was so used to breaking them down, but the urgency in this situation had his complete focus on helping Hermione. "If you can't do this, there's a minimal chance Hogwarts will be a safe place again. Don't think about the bad okay? Just think about your friends' safety." He placed his hand on her cheek instinctively. Hermione nodded her head and swallowed back the rest of her anxiety. She turned around and patiently waited for the opportune time. Unfortunately, fate had something else in mind. A Death Eater came strolling out of the castle with a young girl wriggling in his grasp. His leather gloved hand was wrapped incredibly tight around her windpipe; you could see a vein pulsing on the girl's forehead. The red hair and petite figure had Hermione set back on edge. Her body was in over drive, and before she even thought about it, a spell was cast at the evil man holding Ginny.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" She threatened as she charged towards the group of evil wizards. Draco felt his stomach drop as Hermione ran right out in the open. Was she insane? He bit back the urge to go after her knowing that he'd be more useful pretending to be…one of _them_.

"Hermione?" came the raspy voice of Ginny Weasley who was trying to gain the breath back into her body. The man dropped the redhead harshly onto the floor and turned around to face his next victim. Hermione was too focused on hexing the tall, dark men to answer her friend. Too much was happening too fast, spells were being cast rapidly and the air was alive with a sense of revenge. Ginny's eyes focused enough to watch Hermione taken down by three Death Eaters. She tried to scream, but there was no voice left inside of her tiny body. Tears of frustration pooled in the corners of her brown eyes. Fear of never seeing her family again, her friends, and…Harry, had Ginny silently shake with dread. This was it, there was no chance left for the light side. Not that Hermione was their last chance, but she was their last _good_ chance.

"Keep struggling darlin', it makes this so much more fun." An evil laugh followed by a wand pointed to the throat had the small witch pressing her eyes shut. Hermione struggled to stay still since the wand was pushed ruthlessly against her jugular, and his heal was digging into her ribcage. Pain swept ever inch of her nerves and she knew what was to come next. . Suddenly, the weight of this mans boot was off of her abdomen and she opened her eyes in bewilderment. Draco was standing there with his normal snobbish expression as he addressed the men in a very formal way.

"Father wants them both alive, since they are so close to Potter." Draco spat out the name, but continued to talk. "He also wants you lot to go do something a little more productive, I'll take it from here." He raised an eyebrow at them as an 'I dare you to challenge me' manner. The men bowed their heads before walking off the other way without so much as a protest. Draco made the mistake of looking down at Hermione. It was in the way she looked at him, the way that said 'my hero' in a cliché kind of way that made his lips go dry. He turned his head to the side unable to hide the fact that he _liked _feeling like her hero.

"Thank you." He helped her up off the grass that look in her eyes still lingering. He decided that he liked it…a lot.

And for her, he wanted to be that hero. From here on out.

**I'd love some feedback. Love it? Hate it? **

**Reviews are appreciated immensely. I'm new to these characters and I'm trying desperately to keep them in character while making this story work. **


	3. Chapter 3

**HERMIONE'S PERSPECTIVE**

Warm, small hands gripped my wrist and I turned around to see Ginny tugging me to follow her. I didn't even think about it, I just acted. Ginny had this sixth sense for keeping calm during times of crisis. She may be absolutely atrocious at doing that when things aren't chaotic, but right now…I knew she had a plan. I followed her closely behind, checking behind me once to see if Draco was coming.

He was.

I'm not sure why I even cared, but I felt it in my gut that he should be with us.

Ginny pulled me roughly towards the Quidditch pitch, her fingers digging painfully into my arm. I bit my lip and squeezed my eyes shut. I felt so out of place right now. So many things were happening and I was choking on the overwhelming sensation of it all. I needed to find my footing before I lost everything I held close to me.

"Ginny what are we doing?" My voice was breathless and slightly raspy from holding back hysteric tears. Malfoy was quick to follow up on my question.

"Weasley you're not serious are you? The Quidditch pitch? There are bound to be Death Eaters there."

"Yea well I see one right now…" She stated irately, her brown eyes bore furiously into his grey ones. Draco flinched from that attack and it made me cringe a bit. He did after all save us. There was awkward silence after that until we reached the wide expanse of the pitch. Ginny stopped walking and turned to me, her finger still clutching my arm.

"We have to apparate away. We _need_ to go to the Order and get help. There is no other option because we obviously can't fight on our own…" Her words died off as she stared forlornly at the castle…our home.

"What about Harry and Ron? We need to get them out first." Ginny was shaking her head, her whole body trembling. Draco walked up beside me and let out a cool breath of air.

"There's no use Granger, we'll have to come back for them—" My hot tempered friend shot daggers at him as she cut him off.

"They don't allow murderers at the Order, Malfoy. Go find some other pathetic group to take you in." I turned to face him, his face a picture of cool and collected.

"I have valuable information, Weasley. It seems I'd be an incredible asset to have. I might be able to save Potter faster than you could. I think it's safe to see you need me." Ginny's lips twitched at the mention of Harry's name. I placed my arm in front of her, knowing she'd do something incredibly stupid to Malfoy.

"Stop it! We can't fight about this right now, we must go get Harry—" A gentle pressure on my arm made me stop.

"Granger we can't right now, we have to go get help." His words were decisively softer and it made me actually think about this situation as an entirety. I wasn't normally like this. Being rash and emotional were two things Hermione Granger was not. Gently, he squeezed my arm reassuringly, knowing I would concede. Truthfully, Malfoy was right. I'll never understand how level headed he could be. Then again his attachment to this situation is completely strange to begin with. I nodded slightly and looked up at Ginny and Malfoy.

"Okay…" The three of us turned and headed straight. "We should head straight under the bleachers and make our way around towards the forest to apparate…" I declared matter-of-factly; trying to regain some self normalcy.

"We can't go to the forest..." Draco said ominously. I quirked an eyebrow at him not understanding what he was saying. Ginny was the first to question this.

"It's the only place we can apparate." The quaver in her voice made her statement seem more like a question. The look in Draco's eyes told us something completely different though.

"The wards are down. I believe we should get somewhere where no one can see us and apparate there." He veered towards the right which made me and Ginny exchange confounded looks before following.

"Malfoy, what's going on in the forest?" I pulled on his sleeve to make him stop. His jaw twitched slightly before blowing air out of his nose in a frustrated manner.

"Not now Granger, we must to get out of plain site. It's not safe." I was quickly getting aggravated with Draco's mysterious explanations. He was avoiding straight forward answers. It was rather irksome, but Ginny and I decided not to question it. I loathe admitting it, but he is rather clever, _especially_ since he seemed to know a lot more about this circumstance than the two of us.

We ducked under the stands, crouching down low. If I apparated all of us from here, what was the likely hood of splinching? I was under a considerable amount of stress where it was more than likely. Ginny couldn't apparate yet, she hasn't taken the class yet. I bit my lip and give a side look to Malfoy. Did I trust him? Did I trust him more than I trusted my own capabilities? My insides felt as if a sandstorm tore out my insides and filled me up with a bottomless pit. There was no end, and it left me feeling considerably numb.

Dark shadows flickered over our heads causing us to look up. The wood creaked and groaned with the pressure from above. I let out a gasp, but a hand quickly covered my mouth. Startled, I tripped backwards and into Malfoy who accidentally crushed Ginny's foot.

"OW!" Ginny squealed before slamming her hands over her mouth, a terrified expression marring her face. "Bloody hell," her words were muffled under her hands, but I shot her a glare anyway. I turned back to look up, seeing a face concealed under the distinctive Death Eater mask. My hands were gripping Draco so hard my knuckles were turning white. Heart racing like a jack hammer, I pulled my two comrades away from the man staring at us.

"Well well, what do we have here?" The voice was vaguely familiar. It was deep and had a cynical tone to it. Draco gently tugged me behind him and in the back of my mind I questioned his movements, but there were more important things going on that needed attention. "Draco Malfoy, protecting Gryffindor's are we? And Hermione Granger at that…" The masked man walked towards us, obviously trying for the intimidation approach. I won't be having any of that. Gryffindor bravery right? These people have destroyed my home, hurt my friends, and murdered countless. The last thing they get from me will not be my dignity.

"Oh? At least we don't have to hide behind masks. We are proud of the side we're on, unlike you, you worthless piece of garbage. So go ahead…Avada us. I fucking dare you." My chest ached with fear, and I could almost taste the adrenaline that pounded through my veins.

"Never thought I'd see the day where Hermione Granger cursed, tsk tsk." You could hear the smile in his voice. "But all in all, Bravo. I was almost going to wet myself there." He let out a chuckle after that which completely threw me for a loop. Ginny on the other hand rolled her eyes; I could tell she just wanted to get out of here.

With a cloud of smoke, the Death Eater mask was removed as well as the hood. Draco made a half smile.

"Nice to see you Blaise, but if you could refrain from being a total ass I'd appreciate it." The cheerfulness in Malfoy's voice made my muscles ease, but only slightly.

"How am I the ass? She was the one name calling," he pointed to me and I shook my head in annoyance.

"If you're not going to kill us Zabini, get the hell out of our way," Ginny commented. Blaise measured her with a careful gaze, appearing to linger on her a little too long for it to be casual. She arched one red eyebrow at him.

He let out a breath of air before speaking. "I'll let you go on one condition," he looked to Draco, the only friend he had here. "Take me with you." I was surprised to see Draco look taken aback by this request.

"Why?" Ginny didn't sound irritated anymore, but genuinely curious. He regarded her with a small smirk.

"I have my reasons." His response was short, and I couldn't help but question in.

"Why? Don't you believe in Voldemort's ideals?" I questioned icily before turning to Draco.

"I trust him. You don't need to ask him anything he doesn't want to answer. He is loyal when he has to be."

"It doesn't matter what you think about him," I countered "He's a Death Eater and cannot be trusted." He tilted his head towards mine, his silver orbs intently keeping me from looking anywhere else.

"You trust me." I scoffed at that, wanting nothing more than to slap that arrogant smile off of his face.

"Yea, when hell freezes over. The only reason you're coming is because of you're incite on Voldemort. Remember that." My words were meant to be mean, but I could tell they had little effect on the blonde standing next to me.

"Keep telling yourself that Granger."

Before I could reply, a loud explosion had us all heading for the ground. My ears were ringing and my head felt fuzzy and entirely disoriented.

"We have to go now!" Blaise shouted over loud commotion, his hand firmly grasping Ginny who was visibly shaking. Draco pulled me too him, his hand resting on my waist creating a warm comfort to spread through me.

"Apparate to my manor," I indistinctly heard Blaise say. I didn't hear Draco respond, but the awful sensation of being pressed in from all directions consumed me. Everything went black, and my eyeballs were being pressed firmly into the back of my head. Oh god I felt nauseated, but as quick as the unpleasant feelings came, it left and I found myself wrapped tightly in the arms of my enemy.

**More to come soon! I need some inspiration and ideas. Hm.**

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	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for those of you who reviewed. Now, onto the story.**

Hermione's chest expanded and contracted in quick movements. Her hands were shaking so badly she pressed them into her cloak pockets. Out of site, out of mind right?

"Oh what the—where are we?" Ginny stated in a puzzled tone. This was followed by a groan as she pressed her fingers to her head. The small redhead squeezed her eyes shut before opening them again following this pattern a few times. The pounding headaches that quickly caught up with Ginny and Hermione had them disoriented.

"My manor," came Blaise's voice. Both girls slowly sat up, allowing enough time for the blood in their heads to rush back down. Hermione flexed her fingers, her joints cracking once before she started to pat the floor for her wand. Hermione's stomach dropped in sheer panic. Her heart thundered against her ribcage, threatening to crack them.

"My wand," she choked out before shuffling to her feet ungracefully. "I have to go back for my wand. I must've dropped it during the apparition out." Her eyes flickered to Ginny who had her hand pressed to the right side of her temple. Blood was seeping through her fingers, slowly trickling down the back of her head. "Oh Ginny…" The small Gryffindor's heart broke at sight of her friend in pain. Quickly, Hermione spun towards Draco and Blaise.

"Take me back. I have to retrieve my wand now," they both gave her a 'are you crazy?' looks. "In order to heal Ginny I'm going to need my wand anyway." Crossing her arms over her chest, she raised an eyebrow at the two silent Slytherins. Draco was the first to speak up while Blaise took a few steps towards Ginny. He reached out a hand to her, but she shunned him by turning her head the other way.

"Granger, do you not recall what just happened? The explosions? The people who want to kill you walking around? There is no way we're taking you back there. Your wand is not that important anyway," he ignored the glare she sent him "we have much bigger issues to attend to." Maybe it was the dismissive tone in his voice or even the way he was treating her like a child, but it made Hermione's body sizzle with annoyance.

"If you want to get anything done I need my wand," she insisted.

"I have mine, Blaise has his, and I'm sure Weaslette has hers. So if you would be so kind as to stop being a brat and tell us where to apparate to so we can inform the Order of what is going on." Hermione turned her back to Draco and started to walk off, not entirely caring of how rude she was being. Malfoy had this incredible ability to get her completely angry without saying much at all. The day she'd answer to Draco Malfoy is the day she'd lay down and die.

"Fuck you, Malfoy," she called back hoping it would make her feel better.

"At a time like this? Maybe later Granger," the cockiness in his voice was ridiculously evident.

What an asshole.

"Ow, could you stop doing that?"

"I'm sorry, but it needs to be done." Blaise gently pressed a cloth with alcohol against Ginny's temple. She made a small noise before shutting her eyes tightly. It felt like acid burning into her, spreading through her body like an inferno. She wished she could take a look at it herself.

The Italian breathed out through his nose before pulling the fabric away at her insistent noises.

"You need stitches." The look Ginny gave him was complete and utter fright. Her hand started to shake and the mere thought of a needle piercing her sensitive wound.

"Can't you just perform a healing charm like every other witch and wizard? I'd do it myself, but I can't really see straight."

"Sorry, they don't teach heroics 101 where I'm from." He pressed the cloth back against her head to seep up the blood that dripped down her face. It was slowly stopping, but it couldn't be healthy to just wait till her blood clots finish mending her head. Maybe Hermione knew how to perform stitches. She seemed incredibly angry before, but she would do this for her friend, right?

A warm pressure fell against Blaise's chest. He looked down to see a mess fiery red hair pressed up against him. Her eyes seemed to be shut.

Great, a concussion.

"Weasley, wake up." He took her shoulders and pulled her back from him. She looked incredibly peaceful with her eyes closed, lips slightly parted and a pink flush to her cheeks...almost pretty. Blaise unconsciously ran the tip of his thumb along the smooth underside of her jaw. She let out a small groan before mumbling a small 'my head'. Lifting her up bridal style, he walked out of his bathroom, allowing Ginny's head to take cover under his chin. Slowly, he placed her body down on the plush comforter, being entirely too careful.

Why did he care so much?

Her eyes fluttered slightly before her body automatically curled into itself, her hands pressed up against her chest.

"What did you do to her?" Hermione's voice sliced through the silent room causing Blaise's heart to pound erratically against his chest. The feeling of getting caught doing something you weren't supposed to do flooded his conscious. But what was he doing wrong?

"Nothing, she has a concussion," he said nonchalantly. Blaise couldn't help but notice how flustered Hermione seemed. "Are you okay?" he added. Her head snapped up from Ginny and sent him daggers.

"Fine," she mumbled before walking over to her friend. Hermione placed her hand against Ginny's warm cheek before intricately inspected the gash on the side of her head. Blaise continued to watch Ginny, the slow rise and fall of her chest as she slept. His chest ached again.

"I should go. I'll leave you two alone…"

"Wait, I need some first aid supplies. You know, to stitch up this nasty wound?" Hermione's voice seemed annoyed and she still had an agitated look on her face. Wordlessly Blaise walked into the bathroom and checked his cabinets. Sure, he was a wizard and it was absurd for him to have such…mundane items, but his home was vast and even he was surprised by the things he found on occasion.

Opening about every cabinet, all he found was the alcohol he previously used and a small package of thread and two needles. It was his mother's obviously, for when he was a boy, Blaise broke more buttons on his pants than the average boy. It wasn't fault he liked rough housing with his cousins. Turning on his heel, he walked back into his room and handed Hermione his findings. She took it wordlessly and began to apply the burning alcohol to Ginny's head before threading the needle. He watched stoically, just waiting for something to happen.

"What's going on in here?" Draco was casually leaning against the doorframe, watching Hermione with an intent gaze. He completely ignored Blaise's presence as he walked into the room. You could see the little vein in Hermione's forehead appear. She was frustrated with Malfoy…that was the problem.

Ignoring him, Hermione pressed the needle against Ginny's skin. She was now half conscious, making small noises as her friend gingerly tended to her.

"Ginny has a concussion and clearly needed stitches," Blaise supplied as he turned to walk out the door. Draco cocked an eyebrow at Blaise's use of Weasley's first name. What the fuck.

"Oh you're not leaving, Zabini. We need to talk about what our plan is," Draco stated. "And you're not leaving me alone here with Granger," Hermione scoffed at that as she ripped off the extra thread.

"He might as well just leave if you're going continue to be a total git. No one wants to deal with you." Her words stung, but he kept his cool.

"No one wants to deal with you either Granger, but here we all are." Her eyes narrowed to slits as she stood up.

"Oh yeah? As I recall, we were all here acting perfectly civil and then _you _walked in." Her words were icy and mean.

"Can you guys stop arguing? I have this massive headache, but that doesn't mean I'm incapable of using my wand." The tall Italian at the other end of the room let out a chuckle.

"She's right, you know. Stop acting like an old married couple and let's do something productive."

"Married couple my ass," Draco stated in a whisper before turning. His eyes flickered to Hermione before quickly glancing away. "Like I said earlier though, I think we should make our next move by apparating to the Order"

"You keep saying that over and over, but what happens when we get there? We're shoved into a corner like children, forced to watch as the adults 'handle' it." Hermione argued.

"Maybe that's the best way for it to be handled, Granger." Draco seemed lost in though after that, his eyes looking but not seeing.

"And here I thought you wanted to be a hero," her voice was soft with a hint of regret tinged to it. Blaise watched this interaction with interest, understanding gracing his face. His feelings for the young Weasley were suddenly more acceptable.

Draco's face lost its sneer at her comment, the air in the room suddenly becoming too stifling. "Well, we don't really know the location of the Order, so it would make sense to go back for Grangers wand," Blaise reasoned. Hermione flashed a grin. "Or you can send an owl to someone in the Order to come get us. I say the Floo network would be a great idea, but…well let's just say it's not working" The Gryffindor shot him a glare. She felt so empty without her vine wood and dragon heartstring core wand. Her soul felt barren and she felt it risky to be walking around with two known Death Eaters unprotected.

"Can you do that for us Granger?"

Pride aside, Hermione glanced over at her friend who was nodding off into dream world. Her eyes were lidded and her mouth look parched. Then her thoughts moved to Harry and Ron…her house mates, and ever her teachers. Her stomach dropped and she realized then that she was being completely selfish.

"Okay," her words made her sound defeated. There were far more important tasks to get lost in. Right now, she couldn't afford to be stubborn.

_Dear Mrs. Weasley, _

_I will make this short as to save time. _

_As you probably have heard, Hogwarts has been infiltrated by Death Eaters. The wards have been breached and not many students have escaped. I, Ginny, Draco Malfoy, and Blaise Zabini have made it out. _

_We are safe for the moment, but do require some assistance. I can explain more when I see you in person._

_I'm heartbroken to say that we could not find Ron and Harry in time, but that doesn't mean that they are not safe._

_Be quick upon your arrival, Ginny is not up to par and I lost my wand back at the castle._

_Love, _

_Hermione_

The small Gryffindor's fingers shook as she stumbled over the last few sentences. Oh how she ached to see her friends safe. White hot pain flashed behind her eyelids, desperate want clawing at her insides. Her heart continued to beat furiously against her stomach, never stopping to take a rest. The young Gryffindor's body was completely on edge, strung tight like a bow and ready to snap in an instant.

She dipped her quill back into the ink and scribbled down their location. Hermione blew softly on the parchment, wanting her letter to dry as soon as possible.

Hermione's neck prickled with the uncomfortable feeling of being watched. Cautiously, her head moved left. What her eyes saw completely caught her off guard.

Malfoy stood in the doorway, his hair looking a bit disheveled and his face not holding its usual cool demeanor. She wanted to ask him if he was okay, but she was irritated with him still.

"What do you want?" She asked as she wiped away the tears that sliced her flushed cheeks. Her eyes were fixated on his Adams Apple, watching as it bobbed up and down with apprehension.

Wordlessly, Malfoy handed her a yellow handkerchief, tucking it firmly in her small hand. She took it and stared down at the soft piece of fabric, her heart sputtering with confusion.

Yellow.

It meant 'sorry'.

He was apologizing to her in such a Malfoy like way that she couldn't help but crack a small smile. Holding it up to her sodden cheeks, she gently brushed away the salty liquid that leaked from her eyes.

"Thank—thank you…." Draco licked his lips before giving her a small nod of the head. The vulnerability that he was trying to hide from her cracked through in that moment. She could see the small, beaten boy who was just looking for comfort and trust, but ending up even more damaged. Hermione's hand reached out to gently pat his arm in a sincere gesture. Malfoy recoiled at the touch, causing the Gryffindor to cough nervously and back off. A cold feeling sunk into her limbs, one she truly didn't care for.

"I finished the letter. Could you...lend me your owl?" Hermione made it so her voice sounded light and sweet.

"Sure." It was the first word he said to her and she felt immensely better hearing his voice.

"And could you, um, whoever tries to read this letter make sure it burns up that isn't the intended reader? I wouldn't want that getting into the wrong hands." Normally Hermione was more eloquent with her words, but something was making her trip and stumble in a way that was completely un-Hermione like.

With a quick flick of his wand and a mumble of a spell, the letter turned bright red before gradually turning back to the off white color of parchment. Slowly, he pulled the paper out of her hands and strode towards the window. With a flick of his finger a shadow flew past the rest of the windows in the study, and landed on Draco's outstretched arm. The small owl was adorable, really. It was noticeably young, but quite striking. Fine flecks of gold were splattered against its wings and parts of its stomach.

Hermione smiled warmly, her white teeth showing for the first time that day.

"Hermione…?" The Gryffindor whipped her head around abruptly to see Ginny leaning weakly against the door fame. "Everyone left," she slowly started to make her way into the room. "What's going on" she staggered a little, but regained her footing by holding onto the back of a chair.

"Ginny, oh Merlin, please go back to bed. You shouldn't be standing up with a concussion," Hermione said worriedly, her forehead creasing as she walked to her friend. The small redhead shooed her away with her hand. She swallowed hard before nodding over to where Draco stood. He was tying the letter to the owl's foot cautiously making sure it wouldn't fall loose.

"Is that going to my mum?" she asked. Hermione nodded. Draco closed the window with a soft '_click'_ and suddenly felt apprehension creep into his body. Two Gryffindor girls and one Slytherin boy who happened to be considered a Death Eater did not seem like a good idea.

"Well it's late…we should all be getting to bed now, yea?" Malfoy made a move to walk to the door followed by Hermione who passed a side glance at Ginny. "You coming?" she questioned. The redhead shook her head as she stretched her legs out.

"In a few, I don't feel like sleep yet." Draco and Hermione walked out of the study, their bodies so close to touching that the Slytherin prince could feel the heat radiating from Hermione, making him suddenly flash hot. He moved ahead quickly, leading her up the spiral staircase and towards the east end of the mansion.

"Your room's right here…," and with that Draco turned on his heal, walking to his own quarters.

Hermione stopped him before he reached his destination.

"Draco, wait." He stopped, but did not turn around. "Thank you for saving us. I know you didn't have to. And well…" she licked her lips before finishing, "Goodnight?" Her farewell was more of a question than anything else. Moving back to face her, he couldn't help but notice the way her hair caught the moonlight. The deep blues and Indigos contrasted her pale skin making her glow. For a moment, Draco Malfoy was breathless.

Hermione reached out a hand and touched his much larger hand, giving it a squeeze.

And with that the young Gryffindor disappeared into her room, her door shutting with a faint _'click'_.

Draco was left standing in the hallway with an achingly warm feeling churning in his stomach and an actual smile on his face

'_Fuck.'_

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	5. Chapter 5

Hermione was shuddering. Actually, shuddering was an understatement.

She looked like a heroin addict who was off the stuff for a day.

Her limbs were absolutely unable to stop the nerves from firing off so many signals at once. The loss of her magical connection left her body weak and unable to function as smoothly as it once did.

"I need to go back for my wand." Ginny, Blaise, and Draco simultaneously stopped munching on their toast. A small cough followed by a large gulp of water from Ginny caused Hermione to glance over at her suspiciously.

Having a wand was vital to any witch or wizard, especially when such a state of terror was transpiring. Hermione was surprised that everyone looked at her like she had a third head.

"Well, have fun getting there Granger, none of us are risking ourselves for your _stupid _wand," Draco stated before returning to his breakfast, his glass of orange juice returning to his lips. Hermione rolled her eyes at the obvious return of Draco's asshole tendencies, and turned to Blaise and Ginny. "Please?" Her voice was low, pleading. "We won't stand a chance at a rescue…" She trailed off, trying to gage the reaction of Ginny first. The redheaded Gryffindor had absolutely no idea where half of her family ended up, and without a response from the matriarch of the Weasley clan, maybe she would agree with her.

She felt on edge in that moment, yearning for her friend to trust in her.

Hermione caught her friends' gaze, her eyes wide and brows raised in a pleading gesture. Ginny looked down. Her fingers were playing with the tips of her hair as she contemplated Hermione's words and the situation at hand. Ginny may be a Gryffindor, but in that moment she felt terrified and upset. She was only sixteen and never had to directly see the horrors that this war has caused. Thoughts of Death Eaters destroying her family had her heart drop into the pit of her stomach and her ankles start to buzz with nerves. How could she be so cowardly? Her family _needed_ her. Ginny looked up at her friend, noticing the desperate look she was receiving.

And then she nodded her head.

"She is right you know. We'd be hindering our own team if Hermione was left without her magic…I'll take her to the outskirts of Hogwarts and help her find it." Blaise abruptly snapped his head towards Ginny. His male sense of protectiveness shot through him quicker than what was proper for the relationship he had with the young Gryffindor.

"You can't be serious. Your injuries are too severe for you to even be of any help. You're not going."  
"I didn't realize she needed your permission," Hermione said in an accusatory tone. "This doesn't include you two anyway."

"He's being nice Granger, maybe you should take his words into consideration before you get everyone you want to save killed," Draco added, defending his own friend.

"Since when are either of you on the 'nice' end of a conversation?"

"Oh are you saying because we're Slytherin that we aren't decent human beings?"

"Exactly." Hermione said with a condescending smile, wanting to make his head explode in that moment. It is a shame she didn't have her wand.

Ginny stood up from the table abruptly; she was sick and tired of the argument and was already rushing with the adrenaline to leave. She walked towards the entryway and looked at her friend.

"Gryffindor Pride," she said with a wisp of a smile, knowing that would add to Hermione's fight. She held back a laugh when Draco's face turned red.

"They need us, all of us", she added seriously, "Let's go Hermione." The last thing the two men saw of their female classmates was the ends of Hermione's robes. Blaise and Draco stared at each other for a long while, debating what they wanted to do about the situation. It was a catch twenty two…neither of them wanted to be the weak one and stop the ladies from this act of either bravery or suicide, depending on how you look at it, an yet they knew that it was admirable to want to save the others. Blaise rested his chin against the wooden table, his eyes fixated on the one scratch in the perfectly polished piece of furniture. Draco watched him with uncharacteristically gloomy eyes.

"You fancy her, don't you?" Blaise did not even look surprised that his best mate could uncover his feelings and put them on the table so blatantly. "Indescribably so," was his response. "But what can we do about it?" Draco did not say a word after that; he could barely uncover his own emotional turbulence. He felt so mixed, and not just about Hermione. This war, his parents, his friends, his classmates, his own feelings…everything was just a melting pot of emotions that were turning to anger in his veins.

After a few more moments of silence, Blaise stood up and made his way to the entryway. Draco watched him, knowing full well what his friend was going to do. He may be twisted up and angry, but he knew Blaise well enough to know how he felt.

"Good luck, mate."

Blaise saluted his fair haired friend as he walked into the hallway, his heart jack hammering in his chest.

* * *

Ginny was carefully folding the only article of clothing she had with her into an over-the-shoulder bag she took from under the guest bed. Having her jacket neatly tucked into the bag, she scanned the room for anything else she could take.

"You know, that bag is my sister's." Ginny jumped at the deep, baritone voice that belonged to the dark skinned Slytherin. Her face instantly flushed hot with embarrassment over her taking of someone else's property. Her parents taught her better than that.

"I…apologize," she began, but he shook his head, loving the way her face became vulnerable with guilt.

"Keep it. She won't even know it's gone." Ginny looked down at the bag, an awkward feeling creeping up on her. He walked further into the room, the soft Italian leather of his shoes not making a single noise on the wooden floor. With only a foot between the two, Ginny chanced a look at him, gauging the reason of why he was there.

The silence was uncomfortable between the two teens, thankfully Blaise spoke up.

"I do not want you to go. I think it'd be safer if you stayed here." She peered up at him through determined eyes, already tired of this quarrel.

"It probably would be safer, but that would be quite cowardly, don't you think?" Ginny turned away from him, attempting to set the bag down on the bed, but Blaise caught her arm and pulled her in his direction again. Her damn selflessness was complete opposite him. He grew up in an environment where you fought for yourself, you took care of the people around you and everyone else could go fuck themselves. It pained him to know that the girl he cared about was willing to give herself up so easily to such danger. "Let go," she said defensively, her nerves racing up her spine.

"You know you'll die if you go," his voice was low as he spoke. "Death Eaters are ruthless; they will not hesitate to rip you of your…innocence." Her brows furrowed together at his words. She pulled back her arm from him and shook her head with each word she spoke.

"Why do you care? You don't know me, you don't even like me." She felt irate in that moment, not understanding his intentions or why he was trying to impede her from saving the people she loved.

He squared his shoulders and held out his palm to her in a very gentleman like manner. Her gaze swept his hand before looking back up at him, an untrustworthy glare piercing the man in front of her. "Blaise, I don't trust you. I don't know what you're doing or trying to pull here but I really am not the type of girl to fall for tricks. I'm leaving with Hermione and you can stay back here with Draco like the _good_Death Eater that you both are," her words slapped him in the heart and he dropped his hand. How could he tell her that he fancies her? She is right…he barely knows her, but that doesn't stop him from wanting to know her.

Blaise looked up into her face, those lips of hers slightly ajar from her emotional burst. Maybe there was a way to show Ginny instead of telling her. He's never been too good with words, it comes with the territory of coming from such a large Italian family; you never get the chance to speak your own mind.

His moves are fast as he picked up her jaw and planted his lips over hers, allowing his whole body to move against hers in the process. Ginny couldn't move her face, she felt stuck…and forced so she jabbed her hands against his chest trying desperately to move him off of her. However, Blaise was resistant to her moves and gently moved his hands on her hips wanting her to melt into him and not push away. She responded to his movements by placing her hands on his wrists, but he countered with his the tip of his tongue sliding gently into the front of her mouth, surprising the girl in his arms.

"Mmmm", he groaned into their kiss and Ginny felt surprised by the delight she found in his enjoyment of her kiss. Slowly she tugged her lips back before allowing him to peck her softly once more, almost lovingly, her eyes a picture of pure shock.

"I…," Ginny started but quickly trailed off. Her cheeks were aflame and her heart felt like a brick in the cavity of her chest with these new emotions. "I don't understand," she finished. He looked mildly surprised, he figured her to be a bit more perceptive.

"Bloody hell woman, I _fancy _you," as soon as the words left he felt strong in the meaning of them. "I'm not entirely sure why yet, but during Quidditch I couldn't help but see how brilliant you are. I get jealous when I see you talking to any other guy and I just want you to be here in my arms...Ginny I understand if you don't want this, but please don't go." He looked so sad as his next words rushed out of his mouth. "You'll die if you go and I can't let that happen when I know I could stop it right here." To his surprise she was quick with her response.

Her forehead wrinkled as she spoke, "I don't know how to trust you, truly I spent so long knowing that you and everyone you associate with cannot be trusted and that your words are nothing but twisted _twisted _lies. I'm not a fool…I'm not some silly little girl who will let men play with her." She palmed her wand, feeling it through her jeans and being comforted by this act. "I'll let you come with Hermione and I, but do not mistake this invite as a chance at me or to sabotage us. I know curses and hexes that you'll regret making me use."

Blaise had, once again, moved closer to while she spoke, wanting her to feel the magnetic pull he felt whenever she was in the room. He knew she was frightened and weary of trusting a Slytherin, let alone one that is associated with the Death Eaters, but he was determined to change her mind, he had to.

"I know how hard it is for you…someone who has been through so much because of this war, to trust me—"

"I don't trust you," she interrupted.

"Well, to allow me the honor of helping you and Granger." Blaise extended his hand like he did earlier before and she, with hesitation, reluctantly put her hand in his. He smiled genuinely at her and kissed the back of her hand, his lips lingering a little too long for it to be proper. Ginny felt that spot on her hand tingle with warmth. "I will change your mind, you know that," Blaise stated confidently and she raised an eyebrow in response.

"We'll see about that." His grin grew impossibly wider and she couldn't help but feel herself swoon.

Maybe Ginny _was_ the type of girl to fall for tricks.


End file.
